Definitely some great stories out there.
Some great pics as well no doubt.

Hi,
I am in the market for a Billingham Packington bag.
I've searched the web at length and cannot find any images of the interior of this bag.
Just on the off chance has anyone got one of these bags that they couldlet me see some images of.
I'd be well chuffed if there was.

If there are any of you out there I'd be interested to know because all I ever see is Canikon and the odd Sony or Olympus. I've only met two Pentax users up here in eight years.

In my experience of over 30 years not once has a client asked about my formal qualifications.
All they are ever concerned about is what is in my portfolio.
As I have mentioned on the forums before I have a friend on Skye who has a thriving photographic business
and has been awarded over 500 acceptances and awards/medals at International Salons and he is completely self taught. Speaks volumes doesn't it.
Last year we counted up and there were 42 "photographers" (I use the term loosely) marketing their work and trying to get commissions on Skye. Quite frankly most of them were dire and inspired abject misery in there work.
Many many times I have been approached by aforesaid "photographers" and asked "how do I do this? " " how do I get that effect ?" The answer has always been "......go away and find out. I am not here to help you compete against me. You're putting yourself forwards to the general public as a competent photographer, which clearly you are not."
The proof of the pudding is that the very few competent photographers are still in business after one of the worst tourist seasons for a long long time, the others....? Gone.
If you have the enthusiasm, the stamina and the talent you will make it. Take images. thousands of them, look at other peoples work who you admire and compare it to yours. read the books, watch video tutorials, immerse yourself wholeheartedly and you will go onto to be a good photographer.
My general rule of thumb to everything in life is "Effort in equals reward out"

OK here goes.

Frankie in another life I used to visit a great number of Camera Clubs, Photographic Societies etc etc to judge
competitions of varying levels.
In my pre judging patter I used to stress that if I didn't like an image then that was my problem, not the author's.
I used to stress most strongly that if the author liked an image then it was a successful image, they had taken it, they liked it. End of message
In turn I used to have my work judged by other judges and I was appalled at their gross stupidity, lack of basic photographic knowledge and insensitivity to peoples feelings.
Is photography art? Yes of course it is. My belief is that if someone has put their emotions skills and imafination into creating something then it must be considered art. Whether it is a photograph a painting a tapestry or a pair of wrought iron gates it's the embodiment of someone's emotions, skills and imagination.
here on the Isle of Skye I get very frustrated with the picture buying public. If it doesn't contain 'cloud drag' 'milky water' or overdone tasteless HDR then they won't buy it.
As has been mentioned go to some University exhibitions here you will see a great amount of creativity, and images to be inspired by.

Best of luck, stick at it.

My first serious camera after a Pracktica MTL was a Spotmatic SP1000 ?.
Then at Uni we were issued Pentax cameras.
Then when I was moving on up I was bought a Nikon F2AS (still got it) by my wife as a christmas present.
Over 30 odd years this grew through all the Nikon pro spec models up to and including D3x's.
Then when they started falling apart after a couple of years usage and Nikon UK were about as unhelpful
as is humanly possible (16 weeks for a top screen replacement) I decided to change.
After trying another famous brand I picked up a colleagues K5 and I was sold. Within 48 hours we were the proud owners of two K5's a Kr and since then we have added a K7.

We are now in the process of adding some decent glass.
Another major consideration for us is cost. Why pay £3.5k for a D3 when for that price you can get a whole bag full of Pentax kit. And for the life of me I cannot see anyfall off in IQ using the Pentax's.
As some one else has mentioned, the old advertising campaign "You just have to hold a Pentax" is as true today as ever.

Right then, I will now set the record straight regarding the K5 replacement.
What I am about to relate is really pukka information. My source is my neighbour, who's cat is called Banzai and
once rubbed itself against a Japanese tourist and then started purring. Nobody can deny that this is an unimpeachable source. Also it was mentioned in this months issue of "What Bullsh*t"
The specs of the new camera are as follows;

All magnesium construction fully dust and weather sealed .
Powered by Kryptonite or did they Craptonite I'm not quite sure.
Articulated live view 3d screen which can be detatched and used as a standalone monitor and or projector.
60fps in Full Hd
Triple card slots with three class 10 128gb SDVHC cards included.
Full frame sensor
Noiseless ISO up to 4.5 million.
Fitted with any Pentax lens ever made it will switch on and focus automatically before you've picked it up (start up time from cold to ready to go .000305 nanoseconds)
In basic mode refuses to take an image unless considered worthy of acceptance at any international salon (FIAP approved)

A whole host of other features too radical to be announced before release date.

Price? Well complete with 6-60mm f1.2 distortion free lens and 60- 600mm f2 distortion free lens ....
.....£450 but this will drop as time goes on. (Both lenses come complete with variable power teleconverters rated 1.4 -20x magnification)

Ricoh/Pentax are keen to point out that immediately this camera retails in your area all current Pentax cameras will cease to operate permanently!!!!

Why do we concern ourselves with what might be ahead? Lets learn to use and enjoy the very capable cameras we have now.
Got to go Matron says I've been overdoing things.

Just reinforcing what wvbarnes and Blythman have said got some of the Hahnel ones and they are just fine.

Being a baby boomer I was raised looking at images by Eve Arnold, Lartigue, Ernst Hass, Robert Capa, Karsh,
Dorothea Lange etc etc and I still turn to books containing their images when I want inspiration and to look at pure unashamed quality.
I wonder which of today's photographers will be inspiring the photographic youth of 2050?
Donald McCullin, Rankin, David Bailey, Lord Snowdon, Patrick the Earl of Lichfield, Terence Donovan?

Any further suggestions?

Thanks lads I'm onto it right away.